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George Elias and Ida Lou Gill

As far as I can tell through research and my DNA the Gills (Gylle line) were originally from somewhere in northern Great Britain (Lowlands of Scotland, most likely). Due to the heavy Irish heritage in my DNA, the family was most likely part of the Scottish Calvinists (Presbyterians) that were moved to Northern Ireland in the 1600’s by King James VI to settle the newly captured land. This is where the Gill Irish family line is traced (who were most likely the descendants of Irish Gaels and/or Vikings anyway) living in Northern Ireland, part of the Ulster Plantation. We have a descendant who was born in Ireland named Alexander Gill (1609 – 1675), the son of Richard Gill, that was the first to come to the British Colonies in 1624, as an indentured servant. Alexander worked for a Captain William Pierce of England who had established Jamestown Virginia for the second time just after 1610. As you know this was the first English settlement in the U.S. and Alexander aided Captain Pierce on his next project, building James City Virginia.

After Alexander’s work was finished he may have returned to Armagh, Northern Ireland to settle down, get married and have children. It’s only after his great grandson William Gill, that the family immigrated permanently to the United States somewhere around the 1700’s with the rest of the “Scots-Irish” Presbyterians. It appears that the family came into Pennsylvania where they stayed for several generations. Some of the family moved either west or south, but the majority stayed in PA. Some areas of Pennsylvania include Northumberland, Spruce Creek, Bellefonte, Pleasant Gap, Union City and Boalsburg. They were mostly likely pushed west by the Quakers to be a buffer between them and the Indians.

The family remained Irish/English until some Germans began marrying into the family. The son of William Gill that migrated to the New World was the first. William Gill (1740 – 1814) served during the American Revolutionary War, survived and married a German immigrant named Regina Catherine Stahl. Regina’s influence along with many additional German’s marrying into the family later down the line, is where I most likely get a chunk of my German ancestry. Both my paternal grandparents identified as German due to this.

The Gill family lived and moved around Pennsylvania for many years until George Elias Gill’s father Harrison moved the family to Wood County Ohio. The Gill family lived just west of Bowling Green setting up their own ‘hamlet’ called Gill’s Corner or Gilltown, on West Poe Road between Ridge Line road and Liberty Highway. George Elias is my 3rd great-grandfather, and he is in the picture above with his 2nd wife Ida. His son Clyde married the girl next door, Carrie Wright, whose father Elmer owned the 40 acres of land east of the Gill’s 37 acres. George Elias Gill is buried in the Plain Township Cemetery, Wood County near Bowling Green, Ohio. Clyde, his son Dale, and his grandson James (my grandfather) are buried in the Milton Township Cemetery, Wood County near Custar, Ohio. I’ve already told my wife that regardless of where we have lived that I should be buried with my ancestors.

Harrison’s father Jacob and his wife Susannah are buried in Zion Cemetery in PA.

According to the DNA test I am the following: 34% Irish, 28% Western European (German), 18% Scandinavian, and 10% Great Britain.

Notable family members.

Baron Robert Bulkeley (1326 – 1405) is a 21st great grandfather on my dad’s side. He is the son of Lord William Bulkeley and Lady Maude Davenport of the Manor Bulkeley. He became the Baron of Eaton, High Sheriff of Cheshire England in the mid 1300’s.

William Ward (1603 – 1687) is an 11th great grandfather on my mother’s side. He is an Englishman who fought in King Philip’s War against the natives of northern America in 1676. He is the founder of Sudbury Massachusetts and the 2nd great grandfather of Hannah Cooke who married Aaron Ashbrook, son of John.

John Ashbrook (1664 – 1729) is an 8th great grandfather on my mother’s side. He was an Irishman and the father of the Irish-American Ashbrooks. John sailed from Belfast, Ireland on the Antelope at the request of John Atkinson at the age of 18. He was of the Quaker faith and a founding settler of Gendora New Jersey. He worked hard for many years and was able to purchase 640 acres of land which he had given to his son Aaron Ashbrook in his will.

William Gill (1740 – 1814) is a 7th great grandfather on my dad’s side. He was a private of Van Horn’s company Allegheny County Militia, Pennsylvania during the American Revolutionary War.

Adam Linn (1740 – 1810) is a 7th great grandfather on my dad’s side. He was a private in Johnson’s Detachment, 1st Battalion Bedford County Militia, Ohio during the American Revolutionary War.

Joseph & Jacob Gill are the brothers of my 3rd great grandfather George Elias Gill, on my dad’s side. They both served in 1865 during the American Civil War. PVT Joseph Gill served with the 193rd Ohio Infantry, Echo company while PVT Jacob Gill served with the 72nd Ohio Infantry, Fox company.

Christopher Nation (1770 – 1840) is a 6th great grandfather on my mom’s side. He was a private in Metcalfe’s 1st Regiment, United States Infantry during the war of 1812. For his service, his son William later received 160 acres of land from the U.S. Government.

James R. Nation (1934 – 1992) is my mother’s father. He served in the Army Corps of Engineers during the Korean War. His father, Samuel R. Nation (1907 – 1990) was drafted on 28AUG1942 into the Army during World War II.

Genealogy of Douglas John Gill II

Douglas J. Gill II, son of Douglas J., son of James, son of Dale, son of Clyde, son of George E., son of Harrison, son of Jacob, son of George W., son of William, son of William, son of George, son of Peter, son of Alexander, son of Richard, son of Richard, son of Alex, son of ?,…son of Noah,…son of Adam, son of God.